


Skare

by silveriris



Category: Frozen (2013), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cupcakes, F/M, Iceburns, OUAT x Frozen, What-If, a bit of angst, helsa, mentions of estabilished Kristanna, references to ouat, references to the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 23:10:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2485661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveriris/pseuds/silveriris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After one year of living in the World Without Magic, she considers her life to be good. Every day is the same… until it isn’t. /Following the events of my previous fic, Shards of ice, another "what if?" story; spoilers for season 4 of Once Upon a Time; kind of AU; Helsa/Iceburns; [complete]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Journey's end

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: spoilers for season 4 of Once Upon a Time, especially 4x03 "Rocky Road" (everything else is AU)  
> Disclaimer: Frozen & OUAT aren’t mine, sadly, but the story is.  
> A/N: this story follows the events of my previous fic, Shards of ice [ http://archiveofourown.org/works/2456039 ], thus it's recommended to read Shards first.  
> This fic takes place in some unforeseeable future in the OUAT–verse. I'm guessing the Frozen/Ice Queen arc will end in the mid–season finale, so let's say this fic is after season 4? Anyway, it's AU to whatever will happen in OUAT's canon. Although I skipped some important events, they will be referenced in the story that focuses mostly on the aftermath of defeating the Ice Queen. So let's assume that the Ice Queen is gone, and all is good in Storybrooke (for now).  
> This is a Helsa story, but OUAT characters will make occasional cameos.

\- - - - -

_skare_ \- (Norwegian) the icy layer on top of snow that rain creates; snow with hard surface, soft under

\- - - - -

It's been a year since Elsa of Arendelle moved to Storybrooke. Confused at first by how this world works, Elsa grew accustomed to whatever this place has to offer. She misses Anna, but she also knows her sister is happy with her husband. After Anna and Kristoff's wedding, Elsa remained in Arendelle for a longer while, taking care of the official matters of the kingdom, learning that her advisors did a good job keeping everything going during her long absence. They were so good at this, Elsa didn't feel needed. Sure, people loved their queen, but she wasn't doing much, other than waving at them during parades and meeting with foreign dignitaries. During one of such diplomatic meetings, Elsa came to a conclusion that perhaps she should move on and do something useful for _herself_. It wasn't about abandoning her kingdom, but transforming it. During her first stay in Storybrooke, Elsa discovered that only few countries in the Land Without Magic had kings or queens, and their role was very much limited. After talking to her advisors, Elsa succeeded in transforming her homeland, although it wasn't easy. And then she could return to Storybrooke because it seemed that this place offered something for her – not for the queen of Arendelle, but for a woman called Elsa. 

Her little house can't possibly be compared to the luxury of her old palace, yet she never complains. She lives in an apartment above the place that used to be the ice–cream parlour; she transformed it into a cupcake store thinking that she couldn't possibly continue the Ice Queen's legacy (besides, a person with ice magic working in an ice–cream shop sounded _kinda cheesy_ ). The apartment is just big enough for her with a bedroom, kitchen with dining area, and a small bathroom with a heater that breaks at least twice a month (but Elsa doesn't mind having colder showers, and she can always ask David or Emma to help her fix it; Emma has been a blessing when it comes to teaching Elsa about the wonders of modern technology, heaters included). There's also an additional bedroom that stays empty for now – and probably forever since Storybooke isn't exactly a popular tourist spot. She's thankful that she doesn't have to stay at Granny's; as much as she likes talking to the old lady, it's nice to have more privacy, and speaking of privacy, Elsa had considered staying in town but decided to do so only after learning this place was for rent. She couldn't possibly live with the Charmings, or Emma and Henry, as she thinks she would only be a bother. That's why having her own place is a blessing. Plus, she feels happy knowing she can do something for the community, even if it's only about making cupcakes. Cupcake Queen, kids call her. Still better than being called Dairy Queen. Or a monster. Here, she can be simply Elsa. Perhaps this is her happy ending.  

Every morning she brings a box of freshly made cupcakes to Granny's, then opens her own shop around ten. The place is mostly popular among kids, teenagers and couples (her special Valentine's Day cupcakes were sold out within two hours thanks to hiring Ruby to help her advertise). From time to time, Elsa organises baking classes for kids; it always results in a huge mess but they're having so much fun together she doesn't mind cleaning afterwards. On weekends she goes to Emma's place or Miss Swan comes to Elsa's apartment, so they can spend some time together, talking while sharing a bottle of wine (one bottle is fine; Emma once brought two bottles which resulted in Elsa's massive headache the next day). After one year of living in this world, Elsa still has trouble dealing with modern technology sometimes (computers are worse than dark magic, she discovered), but she considers her life to be good. Less stressful than being a queen, that's for sure. She visits Arendelle regularly; however, her native land becomes less and less what she would consider her home. Finally, Elsa found a place where she belongs, and where her magic is viewed as something natural – though she's well aware that Storybrooke is an exception, probably the only magical enclave in this mundane world.

It's getting late, all clients have left except for one. Henry is sitting by the counter, they've been chatting for a while. Elsa starts to suspect he might be going through a “I found my True Love” phase, as he can't stop talking about that one girl from his class.

“Ok, Henry, you know I like talking to you, but I really should be closing now, and get ready for the morning. Someone has to get up early and make cupcakes, right?”

“Can I get those ones?” He points to a tray filled with cupcakes near Elsa. “All of them.”

“Don't you know too much sugar is bad for your teeth?” She asks passing him the tray.

“I'm getting them for my mom.”

“Which one?”

Their family tree always confuses her. Apparently Rumplestiltskin is Henry's grandfather, so that makes Belle his grandmother, though she looks more like his older sister. Not to mention that his stepmother is the Evil Queen, and her sister is the Wicked Witch from Oz. There is something _really weird_ going on with this family, Elsa often thinks.

“Regina,” Henry clarifies, putting the cupcakes in a plastic container. “She might not say it, but I, for one, know she loves chocolate cupcakes. And yours are the best ones.”

“Thanks,” Elsa gives him a smile. “I appreciate opinions of all my clients.”

After he pays and says goodbye, Elsa lets out a sigh feeling how tired she is after a long day. She doesn't mind talking to Henry or any other resident of this town (well, maybe besides Regina; they aren't exactly _best friends_...), but being an introvert by nature, in the evening she prefers to relax on her own. She needs to clean a little, and then she can lock the shop, go upstairs and have a nice bath. She takes a cloth to wipe one of the tables, remembering that Leroy was sitting here earlier this day; well, he might be a dwarf but he eats like a pig.

She hears the door opening suddenly, and feels a gust of cold wind on her face.  

“Don't tell me you need more cupcakes for your other– ”

As she lifts up her head and sees the person standing in the door, Elsa stops midsentence, and her eyes widen in surprise. It's not Henry but…

  _Hans_. Prince of the Southern Isles. The man she hasn't seen in more than a year.

He's taller, or maybe she has forgotten how tall he is; his auburn hair is longer, shoulders broader, he seems more muscular. She recognises him, of course, though there's something different about him, not only because he's wearing this world's clothes. He looks like a man whose journey has finally ended because he reached his destination. There's something in his green eyes, Elsa isn't certain what, something very close to... hope? She puts the cloth on the table, forgetting about cleaning.

“Can I come in?” he asks with hesitation.

Elsa takes a deep breath; she has full control over her powers, yet sometimes she may use them spontaneously, especially when she's getting emotional. Her magic is calm this time, although she certainly isn't.

“Of course, come in.”

Closing the door behind him (he has a bulky backpack hanging from his shoulder, she notices), Hans walks to her, stopping so that there's a safe distance between them. There's a light stubble on his face, and his clothes, while clean, are torn in some places.

_He doesn't look like a prince, but I, too, don't look like a queen._

“Is this your place?” Hans looks around, curious.

“Yes, it is. I live here now, and this is my shop.”

“You're the rightful heir to Arendelle's throne, and you chose to stay in this world selling... cake?”

Elsa smiles. “Yes, now that you said it, it does seem stupid, but it was my choice. Arendelle is fine without me, besides I never really was the one in charge of the whole country. People had their queen, but I wasn't suited for the job. Honestly, I know more about making cupcakes than running a country...”

She has an apologetic look on her face.

“I didn't mean to offend you!” he rushes to explain. “I, uh, I must be tired after travelling for a longer while...” Hans takes a deep breath. “It's a nice place.”

“Yes... It is.”

And then there's silence between them. Elsa begins to panic, thinking of something to say. What she could possibly say in this situation?! She hasn't seen him in a–

“Are you... free tomorrow night?”

Elsa blinks. “Um, yes, I am free tomorrow night.”

She is supposed to meet Emma since it's Friday tomorrow, time for their “ladies night”, but she can cancel, Emma will understand (she hopes). Hans coming to Storybrooke – it can't be a coincidence. There's something going on here, something important, and she needs to find out what it is. She wants to do this on her own, however, knowing Emma she'll want to intervene and do it her way. Elsa can handle this situation. Probably.

Then Hans asks if he can come _talk to her_ tomorrow night. He asks her for permission, so humble and timid she finds it impossible that the man that stands in front of her is the same one who wanted to take over her kingdom and almost killed her in doing so.

“Yes, of course. I close at eight, just so you know.”

He seems relieved, and... happy? What the hell is going on here...

Elsa watches him after he says goodbye and walks out with his back straight, keeping his head high (he still has a posture of a prince; some things never change). Suddenly overwhelmed, she needs to sit down. Why now? After such a long time, after nearly forgetting about him (yet sometimes remembering and wondering if she's ever going to see him again), after he so unexpectedly disappeared when they defeated the Ice Queen... Prince Hans Westergaard of the Southern Isles is in Storybrooke and wants to _talk_ to her, seemingly having something important to say.

Her life has just got more confusing than ever…


	2. Cupcakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> while awaiting the talk with Hans Elsa tries to stay calm (and fails)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Both OUAT's episode 4x03 and my story, Shards of ice, are referenced in this chapter. I had this vague Cupcake Shop AU idea in my head (as opposed to often used Coffee Shop AU), and I guess this is the result.  
> Also Emma appears, and I'm not sure if I got her character right so comments are appreciated!

Her mobile phone beeps, Elsa stares at it frowning. She sent Emma a text earlier, so why can't she call her now? She hates phones, and it seems that the feeling is mutual.

She starts her morning routine like every other day; going to Granny's, opening the shop... except she frequently catches herself looking at the door in anticipation. She considers inviting Emma over for lunch as a form of apology after cancelling their ladies night, but that damn phone isn't cooperating.

When the door opens, Elsa nearly drops a tray full of cakes on the floor.

“Wow, careful there! Sorry if I scared you!” Emma Swan says rushing to help her. “People would be disappointed if these went to waste. We're all addicted to your cupcakes by now.”

( _It's not him_.)

“I'm fine,” she replies, and Emma sits on a chair by the counter. “I didn't expect to see you so early. I was supposed to call you but this thing...” she gestures at her mobile. “I don't know, it's _mean_ to me.”

“I guess your phone needs charging.” Emma eyes her suspiciously. “You seem kind of disappointed it’s me.”

“No, I'm just… surprised,” Elsa says quickly, turning her back to Emma to avoid her all–knowing gaze, pretending she's busy with the coffee machine.

Emma lets out a sigh. With a mischievous grin, she says, “You know you're a terrible, _terrible_ liar. Besides, don't forget about my superpower.”

“I recall you have all kinds of superpowers.”

“But my lie detector is the coolest one, don't you think? Ok, Cupcake Queen, what's up?”

“Nothing much.”

“Hmmm... Okay then,” she hears Emma say. Not a good sign. She can see right through her, obviously.

The coffee is done, she can't pretend anymore, so she grabs the cups and turns to face Emma again. Well, she may as well tell her everything…

“Hans is in Storybrooke. He, uh– He came by yesterday.”

“ _Wait_. The guy that wanted to kill you and your sister?”

“The guy who _helped_ us defeat the Ice Queen.”

Emma shrugs. “Yeah, after she froze him and nearly killed. I'd want to get my revenge, too.”

“ _Anyway_. He just wants to talk.”

“Talk?” the blonde repeats, rising an eyebrow. “He was gone for what, a year? And now he wants to talk. To _you_ of all people. What does he want from you?”

“Well, maybe if I talk to him I'll know.”

“You know I was against bringing him back in the first place...” Emma begins, and Elsa wants to scream. Here they go again, she already knows the lecture she is about to hear.

_Villain is a villain, Elsa! Bad blood doesn't change! One good deed doesn't change the past!_

She stares blankly at her coffee that becomes significantly cooler in an instant.

“But all I'm saying now is that even though I know you can handle one jerk, let me know if you need help with this _particular_ jerk. Maybe he does have some important news for you. Just charge your phone first if you want to call me.”

Elsa blinks in surprise; Emma has a friendly, though a little bit worried, smile on her face. It seems that the (former) queen of Arendelle judged her friend wrongly.

“I will. Thank you,” she says, and just like that all her bad thoughts are gone (most of them, anyway).

“Sure. And since we won't be meeting tonight, how about some strawberry cupcakes to sweeten my life a bit?”

 

*

 

People come and go ( _but not him_ ); Henry pops by to thank for yesterday's cupcakes, Mary Margaret comes for the afternoon coffee, and Elsa hears a lot about the prices of clothing for babies, not that she’s particularly interested in this topic but she listens anyway. Archie is kind enough to bring her a weekend edition of the newspaper (crosswords are kind of fun, she discovered), he stays for a while as always, making Elsa wonder if he has a crush on her or he's just overly friendly. After five, Leroy and other dwarfs come to the shop, buy five boxes of cupcakes, and leave after complaining loudly there's no more _chocolate delights_ left (how about opening your own store, mister Grumpy Pants?). It is a busy day, yet Elsa glances at the door every now and then, even though she's well aware _he_ is not going to come when the place is filled with other people.

What she is supposed to ask him? What is he going to say? Her mind is crowded with questions, and by the end of the day Elsa feels more tired than ever.

After she puts the "SORRY WE'RE CLOSED" sign, and switches off most of the lights, she sits down with a cup of camomile tea in her hands (it doesn't do much but she can try). The clock is ticking, the only sound in this suddenly quiet place that's usually filled with voices of many various people.

Perhaps she dreamed it all, and he was merely a projection of her mind, a ghost of the past designed to haunt her. _That would be a rather… disappointing development_ , she muses.

Only when the door opens fifteen minutes later, Elsa realises she's still wearing her apron; she should have changed into something less... dirty. Her hair must look awful, too. She shakes her head; as if it matters!

First thing she notices when Hans walks in is that he's wearing his old coat; it looks worn but it makes him look like _him_ , though it's certainly not a piece of clothing a regular person from this world would wear. He doesn't seem as tired as he was yesterday, perhaps a good night sleep was what he truly needed.

“Hello,” he greets her, and Elsa can feel this awkwardness between them again. This time, however, she's determined to ignore it. She needs to know why he's in Storybrooke. If he's not going to talk then she will have to question him until he does.

As Hans sits by her table, Elsa has a delicate smile on her lips, trying to stay positive. Perhaps there's something bad going on, yet another monster to fight, yet another threat, that's why he contacted her. But there's no use predicting when she can simply ask him, right?

“I figured I should come after your store closes, as you may be busy during the day,” Hans explains.

_And you didn’t want others to see and judge you_.

It’s warm inside so he unbuttons his coat and takes it off, but she sees he’s uncertain if he should keep it folded on his lap or…

“Let me,” Elsa stands up and reaches for it.

"There's no need..."

"It's fine."

She puts his coat on the hanger by the door. The fabric is just like she remembered it; it's a fine coat with a pattern round the edges, good for a prince. Instead of coming right back to the table, she first goes to the counter, grabs a cupcake, puts it on a small plate and gives it to Hans. Seeing his reaction, Elsa almost bursts into laughter.

If he's being so polite and, well, _nice_ , she may start with asking him about smaller things, instead of demanding to know everything right away. She remembers well the etiquette she had to learn as a heir to the throne.

“Where are you staying?” she begins, half predicting the answer.

“At Granny's, since it's the only available place that has rooms for rent.” He glances at the cupcake, and finally decides to try it. “She doesn't like me much, I’d say, since I got the smallest room possible. Still better than nothing. There is a bed there, so I'm not complaining.”

As he talks, Elsa's mind travels back to that fateful day when she found him frozen, turned into an ice statue by the Ice Queen. Not really listening to him anymore, for some reason her eyes focus on his lips, and she remembers what she did that day to save him. That was her first “kiss”, wasn't it? Well, technically it wasn't a kiss, it just happened that was the most effective way of transferring her magic to his dying body. She remembers it well, his lips were cold as he was dying slowly in her arms, until something within her obeyed her wish to save him.

She also remembers how he held her, clinging to her body, shaking and breathing raggedly, a man born again. They never talked about it afterwards... Elsa wonders what she could possibly say, and how that conversation would go, and decides that no, this is not a good idea.

She shakes her head, comes back to reality and finds Hans silent, looking at her with a slight confusion in his eyes. 

“I, uh– Sorry,” she mumbles, her cheeks flushed red. “What were you... What were you saying?”

Seeing him fighting with a smile, she blushes even more. “Well, I was just praising your cupcake making skills. It seems that you're not only good at creating living snowmen, but also at baking.”

“Why, thank you,” she replies.

“Why cupcakes?” he seems curious.

“Why not?” Elsa shrugs. “Better than the ice–cream shop that the Ice Queen used to run.”

“Never thought about continuing her legacy?”

“A person with _ice_ magic selling _ice–cream_ , really?” Elsa gives him a significant look.

He laughs. “You're right, that sounds wrong.”

“Why did you come to Storybrooke, Hans?”

Tired of this idle talk, she asks the one question she's interested in. His eyes meet hers, and there it is again, there's something _different_ about him, but she can't say what.

“You've been gone for more than a year.”

“I thought I'll be gone for good,” he says with a sigh. “I'm not exactly mister popular here nor in Arendelle, not to mention my homeland.”

“But you _helped_ me. That woman is gone also thanks to you.”

_I brought you back, because you could help me save Anna, because every person deserves a second chance, and because I couldn’t let you die not matter what you did in the past._ Everyone seems to forget about it but not her.

“I had to come back,” Hans finally admits.

“You _had_ to?” Elsa narrows her eyes. “Why come to Storybrooke? You could live in every other place in this world, yet you're saying you had to come back here specifically?”

He's not looking at her, even though her eyes are piercing him demanding answers. His jaw is clenched, shoulders tense, he is trying to avoid telling her the most important piece of information because..? Waiting makes her only more anxious.

“Hans...” In a moment of weakness, Elsa reaches out her hand to him, but before she can touch him, Hans begins to talk.

“I couldn't stay away,” his voice is tense, and when he finally looks at her she sees he may be afraid to tell her the truth. “I tried, I swear, but I couldn't. It's... complicated.”

She has a bad feeling about this; her hands get cold, and a layer of frost covers the cup of forgotten camomile tea standing on the table.


	3. It’s a kind of magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's got some explaining to do…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: small change of POV! Let’s see what Hans has to say on this “complicated” matter.

“I couldn't stay away. I tried, I swear, but I couldn't. It's... complicated.”

_I should try being less dramatic_ , Hans thinks, noticing a layer of frost that appears on Elsa’s cup. He knows she has a better control over her powers now, so it’s all his fault.

He should start over.

“I spent the last year travelling, as you can guess. It wasn’t easy to adapt, I’m sure you know this…” Hans clears his throat. “As I said, I had to come back because I couldn’t stay away from… Storybrooke.”

Half–truth is better than a whole lie, Hans knows, and continues. Elsa sits silent, unmoving, and he can almost physically feel her confusion.

“I came back two days ago.”

“Nobody saw you until yesterday,” Elsa interrupts him. “Were you hiding from someone? Some _thing_?”

_If only it was so simple…_ Of course she thinks he’s about to announce there’s a new threat coming to this place. There’s always something going on here, even he knows it, as if Storybrooke attracted all kinds of misfortune.

“I didn’t want to announce my presence until I checked something. That’s why I went to Gold first, and since his house isn’t in the centre of this town, nobody saw me. I asked him about my… _condition_ , and he confirmed that after you _unfroze_ me that time, there's a small piece of your magic left in me, that's why I felt this... yearning to find you, to...”

“You asked _Gold_ for help?” she interrupts him, frowning. “He always wants something in return, there's _always_ a price! What did he want from you?”

Hans gives her a sad smile. “I knew I had nothing he could possibly want from me, except my life, or my heart. I’m not that desperate, so I talked to Belle first. I was lucky enough to convince her to help me, and she asked her husband to advise me pro bono.”

Only after he explains how it all went, Elsa seems to realise what he has just said. He sees it in her eyes, and awaits her response. _This is going to be interesting, that’s for sure…_

“There's a part of my magic _in you_? But it's not... Is it hurting you? Is it... Is it like the Ice Queen's shard of ice?”

He opens his mouth but seeing a genuine concern on her face, for a moment he doesn't know what to say. He didn’t expect this kind of reaction.

But of course, it was to be expected. Elsa is a good and gentle queen, a person that saves others, even villains; he called her a monster in the past, oblivious that _he_ was the monster he was talking about.

“No, it's not hurting me. It didn’t give me any powers, either, but it made me come back here.  It simply wants me to... stay close to the source.”

Her eyes widen as she understands what he means. To his own surprise, she doesn't push him away or mock him. Instead, Elsa asks in a concerned tone, “Are you sure it's not like the shard? It nearly killed you. I know my magic is not that powerful, but it's still dangerous.”

Oh, he knows the Ice Queen almost killed him, twice. And twice Elsa brought him back to life. When he closes his eyes, he can vaguely remember the warm touch of her hands, magic oozing from her body, and her holding him after the shard nearly froze his heart. And her lips; she was soft, warm, hot like flames, and tender but strong enough to fight the other woman's magic.

He doesn’t have many good memories, but this one…

“I am sure. It's nothing dangerous. It's your magic after all, it's not vicious.”

She studies his face for a moment. “You're not telling me something, are you?”

Hans looks away, guilty. He knows she's a bad liar, but it seems he's not the best one, either.

“If I may be honest...”

"It would be most appreciated if you were honest."

Avoiding her gaze, Hans explains, “You're right, there's more. I also asked Gold if it would be possible for me to... forget about my condition if I were, let's say, under a curse.”

“Are you talking about something like Regina's Dark Curse?” Elsa frowns.

Evil Queen’s Dark Curse is more like a legend in the Southern Island, but after learning that it was, in fact, a real thing that happened, Hans investigated some more. He had to admit it was one of the most creative curses he’s heard of.

“Possibly, yes. Or a spell that would make me lose my memories.”

Since she hasn't said anything, he continues. “However, Gold explained it would be impossible, as the magic that's in me would sooner or later awaken again. That was a stupid idea to begin with...”

His eyes meet hers, and he notices he's said something unsettling, as Elsa has this sad smile on her lips.

“I, uh... After all, I'd forget everything that happened after I released the Ice Queen, which would be simply pointless,” he says in an apologetic tone. “Besides, it's really nothing, just a small piece of your magic that's stuck with me. Nothing as bad as that shard that almost killed me.”

He shouldn’t have brought up that topic. Elsa isn’t freezing everything around them, but he can see she’s anxious. Yet there is still one more thing he has to ask her.

“Knowing all this… Do you think it’s… _okay_ for me to stay in this town?”

Elsa seems to be deep in thoughts, and his question brings her back to reality.

“You don’t have to ask for my permission to be here!”

“Well, I thought I should ask, considering…” he waves his hand as if there was a sing standing by his side, saying “THIS GUY TRIED TO KILL YOU”.

“Considering what?” she asks angrily.

Great, he made her mad. _Good job there, Hans_.

“This is literally a different world,” Elsa continues, oddly emotional about this topic. “Whatever happened, happened. I’m tired of living in the past. I’m not a queen anymore, and…” she hesitates, then changes her mind and says, “All I’m saying is, if you want to stay in Storybrooke, then stay. I’m sorry you are forced to be here but I didn’t know there will be consequences of…”

_Defending me with your magic. Being the only person that didn’t leave me to die._

She takes a deep breath. When she speaks, she’s considerably calmer. “If you’re saying it’s not harmful, then I have to believe you. Did you ask Gold if there’s a possibility of, um, I don’t know, removing it from you?”

_Why would I want to…_ Hans stops this thought right away. He doesn’t mind having it in him, does he? It’s not hurting him, yet he came back to Storybrooke ( _to her_ ). Is it because that tiny piece of magic forced him to do so, or…

“I did. Gold said it appears it’s not removable, providing I want to stay alive.”

Elsa bites her lip. “I guess it’s settled, then,” she forces a smile on her face. “Welcome to Storybrooke. Again.”

“Thank you, queen Elsa.”

“It’s only Elsa, now.”

_Not for me._

He nods. It’s time to leave, so he stands up. He glances around the room. “Good cupcakes, really.”

“You know where to find me if you feel like eating cake.”

Everything feels odd, saying goodbye to her. Knowing he’s going to see her soon and that he will see her probably every day now, feels even stranger.

What he doesn’t say is how relieved he felt yesterday, seeing her after all this time. Hans is certain it’s the magic in him but he, too, was glad to found her alive and apparently well in Storybooke, although learning she’s the owner of a _cupcake shop_ felt surreal.

Before he closes the door behind him, he gives her one last look; seeing her standing with her arms folded, and a somewhat sad expression on her pretty face, results in a strong _déjà vu_. Hans remembers the moment when he saw her after her coronation, standing alone and observing dancing couples. It seemed like there was a glass wall separating the newly crowned queen from other people. Now she looks almost exactly the same, but the only person Elsa is shielding herself from, is him.


	4. Good intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people never change, but others...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: as you may notice, I’m making some stuff up about Granny’s hotel, but shhh…

Hans leaves, Elsa sits by the table, battling with her thoughts in silence. She knows he wanted to assure her he's fine, yet she can't suppress this feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness growing in her mind. She expected many things, but nothing even close to what he confessed.

“… _it's really nothing, just a small piece of your magic that's stuck with me_.”

_What if one day it kills you?_ she asks but only in her thoughts, afraid that saying it out loud could make it real.

And talking about the Dark Curse? Or a memory spell? After all that commotion with the Ice Queen was over, Emma and Mary Margaret told her what happened in Storybrooke before, and how people from the Enchanted Forest ended up in this world in the first place. Regina is a changed person now, however, Elsa knows that curses and black magic aren't a trivial matter. Was Hans really considering letting Gold put a memory wiping spell on him only because he has some of her magic left inside him? That would mean he would forget everything that happened after he was made into the ice statue, right? How she saved him, and how he later helped defeat the Ice Queen. He would forget how much he has changed...

_Is he so repulsed by my magic..?_

Perhaps he is, and it’s all an act, he only pretends he doesn’t mind but in reality he wants her to do something about it. But what? If Gold, the one person that knows almost all about magic, said that there is no possibility of removing it, then what she can possibly do?

“ _It's nothing dangerous. It's your magic after all, it's not vicious_.”

_My magic IS dangerous_ , she wanted to scream at him. _You remember what happened in Arendelle_. After all this time, Elsa is still uncertain about her powers, even though she rarely uses them.

And now he left her with all these thoughts, he left…

_His coat._

Elsa stares blankly at the coat hanger by the door. She walks to it, and touches the lone piece of clothing gently. _He may need it_ , she ponders.

She can’t stand sitting here alone with her thoughts, and this is as good excuse as any to occupy her mind.

 

*

 

Granny’s Bed and Breakfast isn’t far from her shop. She sneaks inside through the back door, feeling more like a person who is about to steal, not return something. Luckily, there isn’t anyone inside but the problem is which room is the one that’s currently occupied by Hans. Elsa notices that there’s only one key missing, and remembers what Ruby told her about this place and how many rooms they have for rent.

The only key that’s missing seems to belong to a room number… _Thirteen_ , huh?

Elsa blinks. Is this some kind of a joke, hotels aren’t supposed to have a room number thirteen, it’s considered _bad luck_!

Trying not to overthink, Elsa goes upstairs. Confused a bit at first, she quickly finds what she’s looking for. Taking a deep breath, she raises a hand to knock. Her heart is pounding like crazy for some reason. Seconds later, the door opens.

Elsa can't tell who is more surprised that she has come here. Hans is visibly confused, while she kind of forgot what she was supposed to say.

“You left your coat,” she lifts it up, even though she doesn’t have to, he can clearly see she’s holding it.

A door at the end of the corridor opens; it's Granny who gives them a significant look. Even though she's an elderly lady, she still manages to look very threatening.

“Would you like to come inside?” Hans asks, suddenly, and Elsa could swear she hears Granny's angry “hmph!”.

“I– uh, yes.”

And just like that she steps inside his room, holding his coat in her arms like a shield. Hans closes the door behind her, and she looks around although there's not much to look at. He wasn't lying when he told her he got the smallest apartment; it's one small room with a single bed, a wardrobe that's probably older than Granny herself, cupboards, a table with a chair, and a tiny kitchenette with a sink but without a fridge. The walls are green- _ish_ or grey, Elsa can't really tell because the only source of light is a lamp standing by the wardrobe. Comparing this Spartan room to Elsa's little house feels unfair, but she can't help but notice that Hans isn't embarrassed by his living conditions at all. Previously he probably lived in a castle, she can only imagine what a huge change this must be for him.

“I feel stupid now, I just wanted to get away from that woman's eyes watching us like a hawk,” he explains in a hushed tone.

“Why are you whispering?”

Hans scratches the back of his head. “The very first thing widow Lucas told me after I rented this room, was that she hears _everything_. Because she is, you know, a shape shifting wolf... Every time she sees me, she always reminds me that if she ever hears me scheming something evil, she'll rip me into pieces. You can understand why I'm cautious...”

“Oh.”

Feeling more and more awkward when they both avoid looking at each other in a complete silence that follows, not sure what to do, Elsa quickly puts the coat on the bed.

“I– I'll be going, then. Just wanted to give you your coat back, days are getting colder and I don't know if you have another coat, or... I mean, um...”

_WHY would I say something like this?!_ , she slaps herself mentally. Hans, however, doesn't seem offended.

“Thank you. I could– walk you back to your shop if you need?” he asks, and he's so visibly uncomfortable in this whole situation Elsa wants to burst into tears or laughter, or both. This is probably the most awkward conversation in her life.

“No, don't bother, I'll be fine,” she finally looks at him with an apologetic smile, feeling a hot blush burning on her face. “Have a good night.”

“Good night, and... thanks. Again. I’ve saying this a lot to you lately…”

After he closes the door, Elsa is so embarrassed she almost runs away. She gives Granny a nod, noticing the old lady is still standing in her door, watchful as always. Granny raises an eyebrow, perhaps she wants to say something but Elsa flees before the woman speaks.

 

*

 

Despite the tumult in her mind, Elsa's daily routine doesn't change. She goes to the diner with a box of cupcakes ( _He's not here or he hasn’t been, or maybe he left already_ , she muses, scanning the place quickly); the old lady doesn't comment on what she saw last night, and Elsa is grateful for that. Then she goes to prepare her shop for another day, opens at ten, greets first customers. Archie pops by and they have a nice little chat about the weather. Not that she could talk with him about anything else…. There’s always something in his expression that begs her to talk to him, like his life depends on her attention (perhaps it does).

But then he asks about Hans.

“I've seen him in town, rumour has it he's been staying at Granny's. Knowing you two… share a past, I thought that you should know.”

_At least people don't go blabbing that I met with him already_ , Elsa thinks. _Granny is keeping it for herself for what? To give me a lecture later?_

“Thank you for telling me,” she speaks calmly. She knows Archie has good intentions, but she's also aware of what the old saying says about good intentions and hell. “I know Hans is in Storybrooke. In fact, we spoke earlier. There's no need to worry, we're... We're good. What is in the past, stays in the past. I believe people of this town already know this.”

It feels like repeating the same over and over again.

He seems genuinely relieved. “That's good to hear! But if anything happens...”

“I know. Thank you.” She gives him a smile. _Poor thing..._

“I wonder what he's doing here,” he frowns. “He left as soon as you dealt with the Ice Queen, I think it's been like a year or more now. You don't know why he came to Storybrooke, perchance?”

_Because he can't stay away from my magic. From me._

“I guess you have to ask him that.”

Thankfully Archie soon after leaves. She couldn’t possibly do this anymore, why people instantly assume Hans is here to do something EVIL to her? And she’s tired of defending him – even though perhaps she should stop doing that, because it seems everyone else is perfectly fine seeing him as the worst thing that ever plagued this world.

“ _It's... complicated_.”

“It sure is…” Elsa says to a now empty coffee mug.

“ _It made me come back here.  It simply wants me to... stay close to the source_.”

“That’s just… _peachy_ …”

This isn’t the word she feels like using, but after so many years of hearing how bad swearing is, Elsa never feels comfortable using “bad words”.

 

*

 

As it turns out, Elsa is right about Granny giving her a lecture. It's the first thing she hears after ordering food at the diner; it's Granny herself who brings her dinner. The lady sits in Elsa's booth with an all–knowing look on her face. Elsa's not sure if she should grab the fork and start eating, or grab her purse and run.

“We need to have a serious talk, young lady,” Granny announces in an ominous tone, leaning in close.

_Uh_ – _oh_.

She often comes here because doesn’t have a cooking talent, yet this time Elsa regrets not eating cupcakes for dinner. “Yes, of course..?”

“It did not escape my attention that last night you visited that _snake_ that lives in my hotel.”

“You mean prince Hans, I assume.”

“Whatever his name is,” the old lady waves her hand. “I do know what he did back in your land, I only let him stay so I could keep an eye on him.”

_Everyone here is so quick to form judgements, as if they haven't learned anything..._ , Elsa thinks feeling anger rising inside her; she certainly had enough. The Evil Queen is a loving mother now, and the Dark One a caring husband, for god’s sake!

But she keeps her thoughts for herself, like she was taught many years ago. A proper lady never disrespects others, even if she doesn’t agree with them. Lately, Elsa has been thinking that what she learned in Arendelle isn’t very relevant in this world.

“Did he offend you?”

“Huh?!” Elsa focuses back on the conversation. “No, of course not. We were just talking. Besides, I think it's my _personal_ matter.”

“He may be a handsome devil, but he's still a devil.”

“But I– “

“He's a charmer, I know,” Granny continues, completely ignoring Elsa's attempts of saying something. “I know this type when I see one. He thinks he can just _smile_ at a girl, and she'll do everything for him.”

“He's not– I'm- “

“Listen to me, sweetheart!” she grabs Elsa's hands and squeezes them softly, while Elsa is too shocked to protest. “If he tries something, you come to me, and I'll deal with that snake. I know you have these snowmen–making ice powers, but believe me, dear, there's nothing better than sharp teeth and claws.”

She gives Elsa a smile, then leaves her alone with her now lukewarm dinner that gets cold before Elsa gathers enough strength to start eating.

 


	5. Melancholy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you don’t know what you truly miss...

Days go by, Elsa doesn’t see him for the next couple of days. She knows he’s somewhere close (he must be, he’s drawn to her because of that little piece of magic, isn’t he?). She always scans the diner, but he’s never there. Thankfully, Granny doesn’t give her another lecture.

On Sunday, Emma invites her to come over. Elsa agrees, albeit reluctantly, knowing she has to tell her friend everything she’s learned. With a pang of guilt, she tells her only half–truths, conveniently omitting the part with a piece of her magic stuck with Hans. Perhaps she’s getting better at lying, which is not something she should be proud of, but it does seem useful.

Elsa wants to keep this secret for herself only. Every times she thinks of what Hans said, she sees how important it seems to him. He wants to be close to her magic. To her. Why does it sound so… intimate.

Or maybe she’s reading too much into this…

Life goes on; every day she opens her shop and meets with people, although this time something seems amiss. Yet another day passes, and it’s exactly like the previous one because nothing changes much in Storybrooke even though the town is no longer under Regina’s curse. In the end of the day Elsa wants to do something to change this tedious monotony, though it never bothered her before.

Perhaps Hans coming back to Storybrooke reminded her that is so much more than the mundane reality she experiences every day…

Elsa can already feel a massive headache coming, and considers closing the store earlier – but then, as if fate wants to suggest her something, the door opens and Hans walks in looking exactly like the last time she saw him, wearing his old coat. He keeps his head high, back straight; one could surely see he is ( _was_?) a prince, even though he’s not wearing any “princely” clothes.

Tattered prince, she should call him…

Hesitant at first, Hans comes closer and to Elsa’s surprise he’s not here to buy cupcakes. It seems like an impossible, imaginary situation, yet here they are.

_He liked the one I gave him the other day_ , she thinks, nearly bursting out laughing.

“Which ones would you recommend?” he asks glancing at the display.

“Well, chocolate ones are very popular, they are also my personal favourites,” she explains, pointing at the cupcakes she mentions. “I’m out of blueberry ones, but there’s still enough of strawberry and vanilla.”

Her eyes return to him, and she notices he has an amused smile on his lips. He must think it’s silly that the queen of Arendelle is now the owner of a small store and sells cake. But then, Elsa would have never thought they could have a civilised talk about _cupcakes_ ; as if their past never existed. Sometimes it was clearly visible Storybrooke should be renamed City of Second Chances.

After he chooses (four chocolate ones), Elsa puts the cupcakes in a box that’s blue and has a pattern of tiny snowflakes and a logo of her shop on it. She appreciates every detail of her work, even when it comes to such insignificant matters; it’s just after opening the shop she soon realised she likes what she does, and wants others to notice it has a special place in her heart.

She passes him the box, and their hands touch briefly, just for a second – yet it’s enough for her to feel a jolt of magic passing through her body. Elsa blinks, staring at her hand in disbelief. _Was that…?_

She looks at Hans but it seems he didn’t feel anything, though she also knows he’s a good actor, so perhaps he’s hiding the fact that he, too, felt her magic _calling to her_. At least now she’s certain he wasn’t lying when he told her there’s a piece of her magic inside him, not that it changes anything…

For a second Elsa considers grabbing his hand because she wants to make sure she did feel it, but of course she can’t do this, it would be… _inappropriate_ , as her old Nan would say. What if she can feel the lost piece of ice power just like she felt the Ice Queen’s shard? It was located in his heart, so let’s assume that her magic can be also found there, and if she could just feel it, she could determine if it’s really not harmful. The problem is that a situation in which she can place her hand above his heart to check it does not exist. Except… well, that would be _highly_ inappropriate.

“Uh– Is everything all right?” Elsa hears Hans asking, and only then she realises she’s been openly staring at his chest for a longer while.

“Everything’s fine!” she blurts out, her face flushed red.

He has a certain expression on his face that tells her he’s not sure she’s telling the truth, though he doesn’t question her.

She closes the store after Hans leaves, her thoughts too scattered to pay attention to other possible customers. She goes upstairs to her apartment, taking the only chocolate cupcake that’s left – a small, but needed, consolation.

Every day was exactly the same and Elsa truly enjoyed her daily routine. Until he came to this town and ruined – yes, _ruined_ – everything. Now she can’t help this melancholic feeling situated deep inside her heart, reminding her that perhaps this mundane life isn’t that satisfying, and she’s been longing for her magic for quite a long time.

Or maybe she wants something else entirely. But let’s just focus on her magic for now….

 

*

 

As much as Elsa wants to talk to Emma about her recent discovery, she knows her friend will be rather sceptical about this whole situation, so during their ladies night on Friday, Elsa doesn’t talk much, focused more on listening to Emma. As it turns out, Miss Swan has her doubts about Henry and some girl from his school ( _I was right_ , Elsa muses, remembering her last talk with the boy). She claims she’s worried only a little bit, although Elsa knows that in this case “a little bit” means “a lot”.

When the bottle of wine is finished, they sit in a comfortable silence.

Unexpectedly, Emma asks, “Is everything ok with that… jerk prince guy?”

“Yes, everything’s ok,” Elsa says wondering if she saying it one more time could make it true.

“Dunno if you know, but he’s been working with David.”

“Your father?”

“Yeah, it sounds kinda creepy when you call him my _father_ ,” Emma laughs. “I guess David wants to keep an eye on him. Two days ago they met _by accident,_ and David offered him a job at the town hall.”

“And Hans accepted it?”

“Yup, right away. David and Mary Margaret are super busy with baby Neal and dealing with other stuff, so they were thinking about hiring someone, like an advisor. Or a secretary, whatever you call it.”

Elsa can hardly believe what she’s hearing.

“There’s a lot to do, you know, winter’s coming etc…” Emma continues. “ _You_ can manage in lower temperature just fine, but non ice magic type people need to keep warm, and someone has to organize everything, so this town won’t get paralysed during winter. You may think Storybrooke is modern, but there’s a lot of out–dated technology, so in comparison to every other town we look like a village full of hipsters. Anyway… Surprisingly, after talking to him, Mary Margaret claims Hans is a guy smart enough to deal with all this, so she can focus more on Neal.” 

Listening, Elsa has her doubts but she doesn’t say anything. It seems that people in Storybrooke do believe in second chances, after all.

“From what I know, he’ll has to deal with people’s complaints as well, and there’s always tons of them once winter starts, so I’m waiting for the first Hans vs Leroy showdown.”

Emma laughs loudly, perhaps after finishing one bottle of wine she’s more drunk than she would admit; Elsa has a small smile on her lips. It appears everything is fine. There’s only the matter of a piece of her magic stuck with that certain someone – but that’s her _personal_ problem, and she has to figure out how to deal with it on her own.


	6. Hesitation marks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it’s easier to hide your feelings, isn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: just a reminder: OUAT and Frozen aren’t mine, sadly, I’m just writing this silly little story.  
> Watching the latest episode of Once Upon a Time, I kept thinking, could you please give Elsa new clothes, I know it’s her signature outfit but she’s been running around in that dress since season four started…  
> Please review after reading.

Sunday proves to be exceptionally chilly, and the first thing Elsa hears after coming to the diner for lunch is Ruby jokingly asking if she can stop winter and bring back summer.

_If only it was so easy…_ , Elsa thinks holding a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Thankfully Granny is too busy with other clients to pay her attention, though Elsa notices the old lady glances at her from time to time, as if checking if she’s not talking to _that snake_ again. Although Emma’s parents are fine with Hans, certain people still aren’t…

Some time later Archie pops by, and of course he sits by Elsa’s table. She’s too well–mannered to tell him to go away, although she slowly gets tired by his constant need of her attention. They talk about weather, because that’s the only topic they ever talk about.

“Apparently it’ll be snowing by the end of the week,” Archie says after they “discussed” today’s frosty temperature.

“I remember last winter here. Storybrooke covered in snow is quite lovely,” Elsa replies with a polite smile. “And I’m not saying this only because I’m a fan of snow.”

“Yes, Storybrooke is charming in winter as well.” He hesitates for a second. “And if I may add, you look quite lovely yourself today.”

“Thank you…”

There’s still some of the hot chocolate left in her cup, but she considers just leaving it and running away before the situation gets more awkward. In her opinion, she’s not wearing anything special. She chose a deep blue skirt, long enough to fall to the ground; nothing she has in her wardrobe is half as fancy as the dresses she used to wear in Arendelle, but she likes this style and clothing the mundane world has to offer. Sometimes Emma suggests she should wear something less _old–fashioned_ , though Elsa isn’t a big fan of short skirts or other clothes that are in _Ruby’s style_ , as she calls it. On top she wears a white sweater; she also took a winter coat with her, not that she needs one.

She wants to spare him embarrassment, so she quickly finishes her lunch and leaves, casually mentioning she’s supposed to meet Emma (she’s a bad liar but good enough to convince him), hoping he won’t follow her like a sad little puppy he is. Thankfully, Archie only seems slightly disappointed  that she has to leave, but doesn’t try to convince her to stay. Outside, Elsa lets out a long sigh. She should really talk to him about his ridiculous crush on her, though now it’s not the right time considering she should deal with bigger problems first. She doesn’t want to bother Emma and Henry, and appear unannounced, so Elsa decides to go for a walk around the town to clear her mind, and gods know she _needs_ some time to think.

Then, however, she sees Hans on the other side of the street. Now, there’s someone she should have a talk with… He seems to be going in the direction of the town hall, and this gives Elsa an idea. She crosses the street, walking _casually_ , after all it would be just weird if she ran to him like some crazy stalker.

Hans is clearly surprised to see her, and Elsa’s weak attempts at small talk are likely to end in failure (he’s not the kind of person that you want to talk about the _weather_ ), so she decides to weave a lie planned on the spot...

“I’m going to see Mary Margaret. I need to speak with the mayor, and _she’s_ the mayor, as you know well I’m sure.”

… that could not possibly be more obvious.

“You want to see the mayor _today_?” Hans asks, and she could swear he tries not to laugh.

“Yes,” she replies with a certainty only a liar can have.

“On _Sunday_?”

Elsa feels her face burning.

“Mayor’s office is closed on Sundays, I’m afraid,” Hans clarifies with a smile that tells her he could see through her lie right away. “Just like your cupcake shop. But you can come back on Monday.”

_Oh, to hell with everything_ , Elsa decides and takes a deep breath.

“Ok, real talk now. I need to speak with you. Do you mind going for a walk?”

Walking seems like a better option than sitting in one place, besides where could they possibly go – there’s always someone around, it’s not big town, and what Elsa needs now is _privacy_. As they walk side by side, her mind works furiously, thinking what she should say, but to her surprise, Hans speaks first.

“It’s because of your magic, isn’t it?”

Elsa glances at him; Hans looks straight ahead, perhaps refusing to look her in the eyes.

“Yes, you’re right,” she starts slowly, carefully choosing every word. “The other day I… I _felt_ something…”

He’s silent, and it becomes clear to her that she needs more drastic measures to make him admit the piece of magic within him responds to her. When she stops, Hans gives her a confused look.

_Well, there’s only one way to prove it…_ , Elsa thinks before taking his hand in hers.

There it is again, this _connection_ ; her ice power almost sings, greeting the lost piece. _His hands are cold, he needs a pair of gloves for winter_ , comes to her mind.

“Do you feel it now?” she asks, carefully observing his reaction.

“I–…” he hesitates, with a somewhat painful expression.

“I just want you to confirm that I’m not… crazy or anything, that there’s this link between me and you because of that little shard of magic. I felt it last time we met, and I simply need you to say that you, too, can….”

“Yes, I _can_ feel it,” he finally admits and there’s a mixture of anger and sadness in his voice.

Elsa wants to apologise, but Hans starts talking before she can make up her mind. She’s not holding his hand anymore, and the connection is lost.

“Of course I feel it, it made me come here in the first place. Why do you think I try to stay away from you? It wants me to be close, because it’s drawn to you in a way I can’t understand. Or maybe it’s me, it’s all _my_ _fault_ , and that damn thing is only an excuse.”

Her hands begin to tremble as the realisation hits her. Maybe it’s an excuse for her as well, maybe she doesn’t really care about the magic, but she simply wants something else.

Maybe she wants _him_ , magic or not.

“You were the only one who didn’t leave me to die,” he finally admits; she may almost see the burden on his heart. “I could never possibly repay you…”

“You helped defeat the Snow Queen,” Elsa interrupts him. “You’re not indebted to me!”

“You think that’s _enough_?” he asks, with a frown; she can see he’s angry.

_Why are you so stubborn?!_ , she almost yells at him. Elsa wants to shake him violently until he understands. Instead, she puts her hand on his face, gently placing it on his cheek. The second she touches his skin, she feels this familiar tingling in her fingertips, signalising her magic awakening inside her. This time, however, this sensation is slightly different, as she responds to the piece lost inside him.

His eyes widen in surprise; he was ready for a fight, certainly not prepared for a soft touch.

“Elsa…” he begins. She had enough of him talking for today.

“Shut up.”

She kisses him first. And when she does, she feels her magic calling to her from within him.


	7. What your heart desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> if it's not True Love… then it's close enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: rating change. What could be the reason, I wonder…  
> Thank you for reading. As always comments are appreciated.

_Perhaps this is what I need_ , Elsa thinks idly as he kisses her back. Despite the cold wind blowing, making her skirt dance around her legs, her face is flushed and she feels warm, as if there was fire burning inside her. Not to mention that the power within her _responds_ to him.

Judging by the look on his face after their kiss ends, this time Hans felt it, too.

_Nobody saw us_ , Elsa discreetly glances around. Thankfully, they walked far enough from curious eyes.

“This wasn’t… I should…” Hans begins, pulling away from her.

She wants to erase the hesitation from his voice.

“No, you stay and listen to me,” Elsa grabs his hand again. She feels like a five year old trying to explain something to an adult, but why he must be so stubborn?!

“Because I broke the Snow Queen’s spell, there’s a piece of my magic stuck with you, and at first I was worried it may harm you.  But this isn’t some curse designed to make your life miserable,” she talks hastily, determined to explain her thoughts so he finally understands and stops blaming himself for everything. “You were right when you told me it’s not vicious, I can feel it myself now.”

Hans looks at her like a beaten dog, she can barely stand it. At least he’s listening. Good.

“Whatever happened in the past… well, that’s long over. You insist that you’re still in my debt, but don’t you think that’s for me to decide? And I’m telling you, _again_ , there is no need for you to lock yourself in this cage of self–pity for the rest of your life. It seems that you don’t believe you can change… Do you want the former queen of Arendelle to beat you up so you finally understand that you did change? And I’m not Anna, I’m terrible at punching people!”

Elsa needs to take a deep breath; she can feel her face flushed hot, but the good thing is that Hans doesn’t look so miserable anymore. She can almost see his half amused smile.

“I am glad you came back to Storybrooke. I want you to stay.”

“Elsa, it’s the influence of your magic, you don’t really mean– …”

“No, don’t you _Elsa_ me!” she squeezes his hand a bit too hard, and the air around them becomes significantly colder. “You don’t get to say what _I_ want. There is no special power commanding me to say this. It is _my_ choice.”

She can’t help but think that for the first time she can decide whatever she desires – and this is what she _wants_ , no matter how wrong or inappropriate is may seem. As brave as she may look in this moment, the situation suddenly makes her exhausted.

“I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow, please come, we need to… talk more about this,” she says in a quiet tone. He’s probably getting cold standing here, with a cold wind blowing. She clearly got too emotional, but now it’s too late to play calm.

Elsa gives him one more look ( _It’s your move now_ , her eyes say), turns around and walks away quickly so Hans won’t see if her heart bursts out of her chest, and she feels like it will happen any second now.

*

It’s a long day – or it just seems long, as Elsa can barely stay calm doing what she does every other day. This time, however, everything seems different, she feels _disconnected_ to the world around her.

One minute she’s uncertain and foolish, then she’s impatient and brave. Henry visits her after school, Elsa talks with him, absent–minded. Later when he asks if everything is fine she’s feeling guilty she’s not focusing on their conversation. She can only thank heavens that Emma is too busy to meet her; she couldn’t possibly fool Miss Swan. Her friend would surely have something to say about Elsa’s current situation and life choices. And this is something that’s belongs only her, to Elsa, she doesn’t want to share this with anyone else. Perhaps she needs to be selfish for once in her life.

There’s this tingling in her fingertips again, she can still feel it since…

( _she kissed him_ )

…since yesterday, reminding her about the decision she made.

_This is what I want, isn’t it?_   Although she knows the answer, she asks again and again because that scared girl who ran away and locked herself in an ice castle is still a part of her soul.

This time, however, she doesn’t want to run away. This fact brings a small smile on her lips.

*

She puts the sign on the door but doesn’t lock wondering – _hoping_ – that he will come, then she begins her evening routine, starting with cleaning the tables. Keeping herself busy helps to occupy her mind with something else than replaying their meeting and thinking too much about this whole situation. After everything is done, Elsa takes off her apron, then glances at the clock; it’s merely half past eight. With a sigh she considers locking the door and running upstairs, embarrassed, with a metaphorical tail between her legs, beating herself that she dared to even suggest he should come after what happened.

( _after she kissed him_ )

But she waits. Elsa glances at the clock again; it’s impossible that only one minute has passed, this thing is surely broken. She hears footsteps, suddenly, and her heart nearly jumps out of her chest.

_I should stop acting like a teenage girl_ , goes through her mind as she watches Hans opening the door and coming in. After a rather awkward “hello”, he’s not sure what to do, and for a good minute they stay silent, looking everywhere but at themselves.

“I’ll put my…” Hans begins, unbuttoning his coat.

“Let’s…” Elsa says in the exact same moment.

There’s even more awkwardness, but Elsa decides she’s had enough. “Yes, put your coat by the door, and let’s go talk upstairs. There’s no use staying here, we can– have a cup of tea or whatever,” she ends weakly.

_And we can talk in private, since there’s always a possibility someone might see us here_ , she thinks. She’s had enough of Storybrooke residents questioning her decisions. _This isn’t anyone’s matter, but mine_.

She goes first, and he follows her upstairs; she rarely has guests over other than Emma, Snow or Ruby (other than _women_ ), so it feels a bit odd hearing a man’s footsteps on the stairs leading to her apartment. Elsa finds the light switch, and darkness disappears, revealing the main room – a kitchen connected with a living area, something just big enough for her. She’s not a neat freak, though she likes to keep her place clean. Other than a fairly modern kitchen equipment, there’s a small tv and a radio, signs that Elsa isn’t as old–fashioned as she thinks, although people from this world would surely consider her apartment out–dated.

Hans looks around, curious, his eyes linger for a while on photographs in frames standing on a table near the window, and he walks there to give them a better look.  Thanks to this world’s technology, Elsa could immortalise moments from her sister’s wedding; only three photos are displayed here, while the rest of the wedding photos she keeps in two bulky albums. There’s also a photograph of her in the throne room, surrounded by her advisors. First painting of the new queen that hangs in the castle shows her with a solemn expression; on this photo, however, Elsa is smiling, indicating how much she changed since she was crowned. There’s also one picture from a New Year’s party, with the Charmings, Emma and Elsa standing together with glasses of champagne in their hands. She remembers she felt rather awkward yet grateful that they accepted her as a part of their family.

“It’s a nice place,” Hans says turning to face her.

“It’s not bad,” she forces a smile, as a part of her is suddenly embarrassed by this situation, draining her of all courage. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

Elsa doesn’t want this moment to become some cliché scenario, yet she’s just asked him one of the stupidest question possible.

“More than tea, I would like you to be honest with me.”

She bites her lower lip, her cheeks are getting flushed. Not so long ago she asked him for the very same thing. With a sigh, she walks to him, gathering all her strength. Hans watches her every move, but he keeps his distance, waiting in silence until she’s ready to talk.

“I made things complicated by coming to this town, I know…” he begins after few minutes of prolonged silence.

“No, it’s not _complicated_!” she interrupts him and, impulsively, grabs his hand in hers. “The magic connecting us is not… It is not _why_ I wanted to talk to you, it’s not the reason I…”

Elsa hesitates; she has too much to say yet she can’t find proper words.

“The reason you kissed me?”

_I kissed him first._ Elsa opens her mouth but words won’t come.

“It’s only because of your magic, that you perhaps feel… drawn to me,” he says in a quiet tone, making Elsa realise that he has said this to himself so many times already that now he believes it’s true.

“No.” Her voice is calm, barely. She wants to scream; yesterday she explained it to him yet he still doesn’t understand.

“No matter what my magic did – what it’s still doing to you, _this_ is my choice. Only after you returned, I realised I’ve been waiting for you all this time.”

“It’s not right…” he pauses. Hans looks away, perhaps he wants to run away… She _won’t let him_.

“I feel drawn to you,” she repeats his words, determined that this is the moment when she has to tell him everything. “It’s not because something _forces_ me. It’s my choice.”

“I’m not a good man…” he cringes, though when her hand touches his face, she feels him leaning in to her touch.

“I believe every person can change, that _you_ have changed.”

_I kissed him first_ , echoes in her mind and, without any hesitation, Elsa closes the distance between them. Shyly at first, she kisses him with more confidence, until she feels his arms around her.

“This isn't right,” he repeats, yet he doesn't stop.

_Maybe it's not_ , she wants to say but can't, her lips are too busy, there's no time for talking. _Maybe it's not right but this is something that I want_.

He doesn’t say a word when she leads him to the bedroom, they are still kissing, touching; he doesn’t say anything other than whispering her name as she guides him to her bed. Her original plan was to _talk_ to him, that’s true, although she’s not surprised they ended up like this. This is what she wants, no matter how foolish this may be.

Her ice dress would have been much convenient in this situation; she could make it disappear with a single gesture, melt it with a thought. She impatiently takes off her shirt and almost – _almost_ – yells at him to hurry up peeling off her skirt. She feels drunk on the overwhelming mixture of emotions flooding her mind. She wants to hurry up _but_ take it slow, hold him close _but_ push him away. For a second Elsa worries she won't survive the very intensity of everything she feels right now.

Her underwear is white, with a delicate lace pattern around the edges. Nothing too skimpy yet still considerably more revealing than what she wore in Arendelle under all those layers of clothing; that's why she feels bare, exposed – in a good sense, however. She wants him to look at her. His reaction tells her he likes what he sees; his green eyes get darker, movements are more rushed.

_He's impatient, too_ , she realises and one part of her laughs despite the embarrassment she feels.

Hans unbuttons and tosses his shirt away, and his lips are on her neck again; this time she can feel his skin against her. He's so wonderfully warm she wants to bask in the heat of his body. It all seems so natural Elsa wonders why she hasn't done it sooner – then she remembers that he wasn't with her, leaving but eventually returning to her. She knows it's not True Love, nothing like in fairy tales; nothing close to what Anna and Kristoff have – but it's close enough.

She inhales sharply when he takes off her bra exposing her breasts. He doesn't stop kissing and touching her, and she's so grateful for that; she's certain she wouldn't survive it if he stopped. Elsa frantically whispers his name like a prayer, as he's doing all these ungodly things with his hands, lips, and tongue. She feels fearless; her hand travels down between her bodies, and she hears him groan when she boldly reaches under the belt of his pants.

It must be too much for him. His lips leave her skin, she moans in protest, though he doesn't hear her, focused on getting rid of all barriers between them. Seeing him bare, Elsa can't help but admire his muscular physique. She notices some scars marking his skin here and there, however, when he grips her hips, and she opens her legs for him, everything else is forgotten.

Her white hair is spilled around her head like a halo. Stripped of all layers of clothing, her fair skin seems to glow in the dim light of night. She remembers that _she kissed him first_ ; she invited him for tonight. She made this decision for both of them, for _herself_. If it's not True Love then it's close enough, and she's determined to take what fate has to offer.

It's a second of pain that instantly changes into the sort of pleasure that threatens to make her heart burst.

_...not True Love..._

Elsa pulls him close for a frantic kiss. His lips taste like magic.

_...but close enough..._

“Elsa! Queen Elsa!” he cries out as he worships her, and she feels a divine sort of control, losing herself in him over and over again, until she's not sure where he ends and she begins.


	8. Fate is a funny thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> happily ever after – but what exactly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for taking time to leave some feedback. Comments are always appreciated!

In the middle of the night everything is quiet, and everyone is asleep. Except for Elsa, who is lying wide awake battling with thoughts. Hans is sleeping by her side, his face more peaceful than ever. Elsa, however, can't sleep, instead her mind is working hard, replaying what has just happened over and over again until memories of his hands and lips make her shudder with excitement.

She's always been the rational one, as opposed to Anna's impulsive, spontaneous behaviour. Well, this proves she may be as impulsive as her sister...

Elsa sits up, her finger traces his jaw, arms and chest. There's a deep feeling inside her gut that urges her to wake him up, make him hold and kiss her again and again. _Am I getting so desperate?_ , she wonders; when she feels his heart beating, she can nearly taste the forgotten piece of her magic locked inside him.

While living in Storybrooke, Elsa noticed that people here seem to agree on one thing: everyone should get their happy ending. Even villains like Gold or Regina, monsters once now turned good.

And wasn't Elsa a monster once? Didn't she freeze her own sister's heart? She almost killed the men who came for her. Almost – because she never crossed this line knowing that once there's blood on her hands, there will be no going back.

Getting a “happily ever after” here also usually includes finding one's _True Love_ , though Elsa has never been particularly thrilled thinking one day she may have a fairy tale–like wedding. If every princess wants a prince, what does a _queen_ such as herself want? Elsa knows that sooner or later she would have to get married if she remained in Arendelle. Is it one of the reasons she moved to Storybrooke, to avoid the fate of marrying some man she would barely know, that her advisors chose for her because he was a "good match" for the young queen?

Perhaps. After all, when facing a problem, she chose to run away before. But what she is supposed to do now?

_What would Anna do?_ , Elsa wonders and remembers that Anna is far away, living a happy life with her husband. Her sister found her happy ending already. Now it's her, Elsa's, turn, right?

_One's happy ending isn't supposed to be so messed up_ , comes to her mind as she glances at the face of the man sleeping by her side.

She remembers meeting him for the first time, the prince of the Southern Isles ( _but there's like a dozen of princes there_ , she thought in that moment; _which one is he?_ ). Then they met in her ice palace, and for a moment Elsa thought he was a good man (but he wasn't). When he told her Anna is dead, her heart shattered into million pieces. It was her sweet sister who saved them all – who saved Elsa, and all was well. For some time, at least, because then they met once again. _“They finally have a ruler. Not a monster like you.”_

_Would you call me a monster now?_ She feels a familiar tingling in her fingertips; she could freeze him right now, forget he ever existed.

And she _wants_ to, she will not run away but face the problem and kill it ( _him_ ), so she can be free again.

But she's not like the Snow Queen. She saves people, not kills them; villains included. There is a thin line between being a hero and a villain, and Elsa will not dare to cross it.

Besides, she'd miss him. This realisation makes her hands shake. She was living in a state like a limbo, thinking it was happiness, until he came back to Storybrooke and everything changed. What is she supposed to do now? After...

_She kissed him first._

And she's kissing him again.

She surrenders her will to this impulse deep in her mind, grabs his face in her hands and kisses until he gasps, and his eyes flutter open. Hans is surprised and sleepy, there's confusion on his face, though it clears up as his eyes focus on her, and in the darkness of her bedroom she feels more naked and exposed than ever.

Let him look. She _wants_ him to look at her.

As she straddles him and kisses once more, hungrily, impatiently, her mind goes back to the moment when she saved his life. How similar it was, his arms holding her, his body clinging to hers. She did not, however, whisper his name like she is now; he didn’t touch her like he is now, making her moan and cry, and forget everything that isn’t him.

Fate is a funny thing.

 

*

 

Travelling for the past year, Hans eventually got used to waking up in different places almost every day, yet this time is significantly different. Mainly because there’s a woman sleeping by his side. And not any other woman, but Elsa, the one woman he nearly killed, and who later saved him.

Battling with his thoughts, Hans looks at her peaceful face for few moments; her long eyelashes, tiny freckles, porcelain white skin with a hint of pink blush on her cheeks. Her lips are slightly opened, and he remembers how they kissed him, and whispered his name between moans.

He shakes his head; now it’s not the right time to think about it.

_“As heir, Elsa was preferable, of course...”_

Quietly, he slides off the bed and reaches for his clothes scattered on the floor that feels ice cold under his bare feet. Holding his shirt in one hand, he manages to put on his pants.

_“...but no one was getting anywhere with her.”_

Well, isn't this ironic...

“Sneaking out like a thief?” Elsa's voice nearly makes him jump.

_I did steal something..._ Hans muses remembering scarlet drops of blood on the bed sheet. He bites his tongue, instead he says, “I figured I should leave.”

He doesn't say he felt her magic stirring inside him; how soft her skin was, how her little gasps and moans were the most delicious sounds. It's like she put a spell on him, and he willingly let her trap his body and mind.

He's sure that on some level Elsa knows all this. Besides, he doesn't want to ruin the moment with his sappy declarations of... what exactly? Feeling whole in her arms? Longing to be with her?

_Don't be ridiculous._

Hans buttons up his shirt that serves him like a shield against this gorgeous creature siting on the bed. It would be easy to give in to temptation, but he knows it wouldn't be fair. Night ended, it's time to face the consequences.

“Leave now, if you need, but... you should come back, soon.”

Surprised, his eyes return to her. She’s sitting on the bed, covering herself with the bed sheet, looking strikingly beautiful. Her usually neatly combed hair now looks like a white halo around her head, making her look more magical than ever.

“We could spend time avoiding each other,” Elsa continues; Hans stares at her in disbelief, having trouble comprehending what he's hearing. “That would be pointless, I don't want to avoid you, I...”

She bites her lower lip, and in this moment Hans knows he's lost, completely lost and at the mercy of the woman in front of him.

“I will come back if–…” he hesitates; his previous experiences tell him everything has a price and there’s nothing good that can possibly happen to him if he shows the smallest sign of weakness. This time, however, he’s willing to believe that something good may happen, even to villains, even to monsters.

“If you want me to.”

He could fight it, pretend that everything that has happened since he returned to Storybrooke – what happened last night, was meaningless, but… he doesn’t want to. There is no point denying he’s inexplicably drawn to her; maybe it’s because of the magic inside him, but perhaps not. Hans wonders if Elsa sealed their fate that day when she brought him back to life after the Snow Queen (and _everyone else_ ) left him to die. There’s a slight chance that for the first time his life will have a purpose. And, surprisingly, it’s not about ruling a kingdom; this time it’s all about being by her side, far from everything he thought he wanted.

Interesting how priorities change.

Hans looks at Elsa, silence feels heavy and suffocating, threatening to crush him where he stands. And then Elsa smiles.

“Your coat's downstairs,” he hears before he steps out of the room. “On the hanger by the door. Just like the last time.”

Truth to be told, he has forgotten about the whole world outside of her bedroom, his lonely coat included. When Hans steps out in the cold morning air, world seems different somehow, yet in a way he can’t explain.

Perhaps she did put a spell on him. He knows he wouldn’t mind.


	9. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the morning after and the rest of the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: the general rating for this story is M because of chapters 7 & 8, however, the rest is rated T.  
> I could drag this story endlessly but to be honest I don’t want to bore anyone, complicating everything for the sake of prolonging. Instead, I think it’s time to wrap this up. So here’s the last chapter; epilogue is coming next.  
> Thank you for reading. As always, comments are appreciated.

There’s a tall mirror in Elsa’s bedroom, and when she gets off the bed to see her own reflection, she’s surprised there’s nothing different about her, because she almost expected to see a physical change or a mark on her skin, branding her as some fallen woman.

She kissed him first. And made him kiss her again and again until she screamed his name.

Memories make her blush, but these are good memories, and she’s not embarrassed, discovering a surprisingly bold side of her character. After all these years learning how to be a queen, listening to her teacher telling her that one day she would have a lord husband, her king to rule by her side, Elsa should feel shame after what happened.

But she doesn’t. And the thought feels oddly liberating. Perhaps her way of thinking already adjusted to this modern world, forgetting about all those rigid teachings what a _proper_ lady should or shouldn’t do.

It’s merely six o’clock, Elsa notices after dressing up and making coffee. How she is going to survive this day, she doesn’t know but she’s willing to try.

*

Like every other morning, she goes to the diner with a box of fresh cupcakes, although this time they aren’t the best ones as she is too distracted to focus on her work. Thankfully, Granny doesn’t notice there’s something odd about the cakes (or Elsa), and the moment Elsa opens the box Leroy, Doc and Walter buy three of them as a sweet addition to their breakfast.

She doesn’t notice Hans there, this time she’s grateful for that. As much as she’s waiting to see him again, on some level she feels too many mixed emotions that she doesn’t have enough energy to face him so early. Elsa wishes she could talk to Anna, but her sister is not only far away, but also possibly the last person Elsa should talk to about her situation. After Hans helped them defeat the Snow Queen, Anna was more or less forgiving, though Elsa thinks that her sister just wanted to close this chapter and never see Hans again. _I have some news for you…_

Instead of worrying what will happen in the unforeseeable future, Elsa tells herself to focus on what is happening now. She opens the shop and awaits her first customers to arrive

She knows what would happen if he left. She would miss him. Is she addicted to him already? Most likely. But she dares to think that the feeling is mutual ( _Maybe_ , she hopes)

Elsa isn’t one of the characters form Storybrooke’s book of fairy tales, and in this moment she perfectly understands why. Her “happy ending”, _if_ this really is what she thinks it is, is way too complicated to fit in with the rest of the stories.

*

When the clock strikes twelve, Elsa realises something very important, and this thought makes her laugh out loud. The shop is miraculously empty, so there’s nobody to witness her moment of brief insanity.

She doesn’t want to wait for something to happen. She’s going to _make_ things happen, because she’s tired of waiting, of running away, of going with the flow. And maybe it’s a rushed decision. Maybe she’s not thinking clearly. But it doesn’t matter.

She forgets about her apron, just locks the shop and runs, not feeling the cold icy wind even though she’s not wearing a coat. Details like these don’t matter; faint blush spreads on Elsa’s face because of the excitement burning inside her. She hasn’t felt so… _alive_ for too long.

In Granny’s _Bed and Breakfast_ , behind the reception’s office, Ruby is reading a magazine, looking rather bored.

“Hi, there,” noticing Elsa she smiles. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Have you, uh– Have you seen Hans?” she knows it may seem rude, but she will have time for being nice later. “Do you know if he’s in his room? Or did he go to the mayor’s office?”

It’s too late when Elsa realises she must look insane, barging in like this, red faced, with sparkling eyes, asking so many questions. But it doesn’t matter, she has other priorities at the moment.

Ruby blinks, confused. “I haven’t seen him, but I’m here since morning, so I guess he’s in his room. Is everything ok?”

“Yes, everything’s fine, don’t worry. And thank you,” Elsa gives her a smile, and rushes to the stairs before the girl says something.

Standing in front of his door, she lifts her hand up to knock but hesitates. It’s madness; she knows she should wait, but… she doesn’t want to. She feels like what she has to say needs saying _now_ , or everything will be lost forever. But there’s also one part of her mind urging her to turn around and go back to her regular life because what she’s doing is crazy.

Elsa takes a deep breath and knocks.

What if he doesn’t want to see her, what if he’s not in there, what if…

The moment Hans opens the door, Elsa understands it’s too late for running away, and it’s time for her to make a decision. Standing face to face with him, she doesn’t feel so brave anymore, and that irritating voice at the back of her head telling her to stop gets louder.

“I thought I should give you some time to think,” Hans admits, his expression half worried, half confused.

“I had enough time for thinking,” she replies and steps inside.

It’s the smallest room in this building, number thirteen – for the thirteenth prince, although Widow Lucas couldn’t possibly know that. There aren’t any personal belongings that could indicate what kind of person lives here, as if it was just a place for sleeping, four walls and a roof, nothing more.

Elsa takes a deep breath. Here it goes.

“I’m sorry if I surprised you, but– “

“Elsa,” Hans quickly interrupts her. “You have a– um…” he points at her cheek, and when she touches her face she realises in horror she has some cream there. She was making cupcakes and didn’t notice it, too focused on leaving everything behind and coming here.

She hurriedly wipes it off, her face is burning. Something has drained almost all her energy. She needs to begin again, this time saying exactly what she needs him to hear.

“You asked me if I want this. Yes, I want you to stay.”

There’s a pause. Moments before she wanted to tell him everything at once, now she can barely gather her thoughts.

“Stay with me, and… and be with me.”

“Your magic…” he begins; she heard enough on this topic already.

“I know, my magic is the reason you’re here. But I don’t want my magic. I want you.”

There's something between them she can't understand, not yet. It's not about her magic, or so she wishes that perhaps it's not her power controlling him, using him like a puppet, luring him to her like a moth to a flame. It's about her and what she wants. Not the queen of Arendelle; what is in the past is in the past. It's about what a woman named Elsa wants, and she wants him to be with her.

“I was supposed to say,” Hans hesitates; it surely isn’t easy for him to admit certain things, just like for her. “Yes, your magic brought me here, but now, I’d do the same, I’d come back to Storybrooke…”

_Because of you_ , his eyes tell her what he’s too afraid to say.

 “I need to be sure it's _your_ _choice_. That you’re not doing it… out of pity.”

Elsa bites her lips feeling them tremble. Her heart is about to shatter into million pieces, that's how vulnerable she feels. Keeping her head low, awaiting his response that is not coming, a hideous thought comes to her mind; he doesn't need you, he doesn’t want you, he doesn't...

Then Elsa feels strong arms around her, pulling her closely in a tight embrace.

“Of course it's my choice. My and mine only,” Hans says in a calm voice, and all her bad thoughts disappear as if they never existed.

Elsa needs to stop crying, but she can't, overwhelmed by emotions. Because truth is, she didn't know if she truly belongs in Storybrooke. Not until now. Now she's certain she has found her place. But only with him by her side.

 


	10. Epilogue

It’s a cold morning, Elsa notices as she opens the window in her bedroom. She glances at the man sleeping in the bed, and walks to the kitchen, smiling, letting him sleep few minutes longer.

She’s been living in Storybrooke for two years now, and she can finally call this place her home. Every morning she puts freshly made cupcakes in a box, and sends Hans to deliver them to Granny’s diner. The older woman still eyes him suspiciously every time she sees him, though at least she doesn’t threaten to rip him into shreds anymore.

It feels a bit awkward at first, being together, but it all becomes so natural so quickly, Elsa wonders why she lived without him all that time. They make no public announcements about their private matters, though they don’t keep it a secret either, besides people in this town always somehow _know_ about things.

Hans eventually moves in to her apartment; Mary Margaret is at the shop the next day, and Elsa seriously thinks the woman has some powers telling her when people get together. It seems that miss mayor forced Hans to tell her everything, as she right away asks Elsa how it all happened. She gets weirdly emotional after hearing a brief, child–friendly, version of the story, and even sheds few tears as if it was the most beautiful story she has ever heard. Elsa has this weird feeling that Mary Margaret treats her like another daughter, but then again she has to admit the woman treats that almost every other person.

When Emma visits her one Friday night, and somehow they end up getting impossibly drunk, Miss Swan reminds her that in case something happens, Elsa can always requests her best friend to slice Hans’s head off with a sword.

“Because I have _my own_ sword, ya know,” Emma nods, proud, almost spilling wine on herself.

“Do you know how to use it?” Elsa raises an eyebrow; she has to focus or else she’s seeing two Emmas. “It’s not… _easy_.”

“I’m working on it!”

When Hans walks in to tell them it’s past midnight already, Emma hisses something about her excellent sword fighting skills, and Elsa can’t stop laughing seeing the expression on his face.

Archie avoids Elsa for a longer while. She feels sorry for him (a little bit), and is glad when he shows up to buy cupcakes again. They still can only talk about the weather.

It takes some time to explain everything to Anna and Kristoff, but they understand Elsa's choice eventually, and even warm up to Hans a little (or so Elsa wants to think), although Kristoff's snarky comments never end (but hey, at least they’re _talking_ ).

And this is her happy ending. Although it's not a "traditional" one, it does include a prince and a certain dose of magic, which makes her fit perfectly in all other stories from Storybrooke.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story was supposed to be a oneshot just like Shards of ice that started it all. Oops.   
> I wrote this fic mainly because I was a bit disappointed with Once Upon a Time. They promised us Hans, ok great but why only for one episode??? If one of the themes of this show is “villains getting their happy ending”, then why not him? *cough*wastedpotential*cough*  
> Anyway.  
> I thought about a silly version of the ending that included Hans developing fire powers awakened by Elsa's magic. We all wanted fire!Hans by the end of the movie, didn't we... But it's been done many times in way better fics, so no fire!Hans in this story.  
> Thank you all for reading and reviews. You are awesome.


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